The world of trade and business has drastically changed from what it was a decade ago. In fact, the way things are going and the pace at which ecommerce is taking off, it may not be same in five years time. Yet we see hundreds of thousands of home businesses that are opening up thanks to the technology and strategies of the modern online world.
There are so many reasons why opening up an online business is more beneficial than opening an actual real-world store. For one thing, it will cost less not just to create but to maintain as well. The bills are almost cut in half and in some cases even less as existing in a virtual world doesn’t carry with it expenditures like rent etc.
You also have the ability to fully customize how you want your website to look, the vibe you create with visuals and text, and even the characters and color schemes that represent your brand. But have you ever thought big for your online business? Just because you’re sat at home, doesn’t mean you can’t reach customers from all over the world.
Do language barriers exist online?
Language barriers are the bane of all entrepreneurs and small business owners. Larger corporates have so many skilled people who mitigate any language barriers both in person and via their online presence. Well, of course, they have a large budget which you have to contest with, but it’s getting easier to do so.
Translation programs that you can utilize for your website can convert any language into another. Therefore if you have a product description in English but want to reach customers in France, China and so on, this is entirely possible with such tools. The server recognition and or IP address is a clear indication where the person accessing your website is located.
When the program acknowledges the person visiting your website is perhaps from outside the country, an option to change the language into their mother tongue will appear. However, some people are bilingual and perhaps multilingual and may feel more comfortable shopping in their own language regardless, so you also have this option available for them too.
Image by Michael Coghlan
Expanding for internationalization
Internalizing your business can seem like a mammoth task. There’s no shame in admitting you’re small and have limited funds. Therefore contemplating converting many aspects of your business into so many different ways of doing things that vary in culture, language, currency, regional and national server boundaries, and even product availability and shipping can cause a headache.
However, full service ecommerce solutions have taken all this into account and more. You can make products available to be purchased in different currencies while not losing money thanks to automatic exchange rate calculations. Such solutions also have intuitive navigation and product categorization so more products can be linked to each other.
This is quite helpful as one product may have multi-layered properties that connect with different and or similar products. And of course, you’ll have the ability to jump platforms, from smartwatch, smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers; leaving no stone unturned.
Source Tech In Asia
Shipping and delivery
If you’re thinking of growing your customer base, you’re thinking big already. One of the things that keep small home businesses from expanding is it’s easy to think you cannot supply your products internationally. This is one train of thought that is slowly grinding to a halt.
Ecommerce has taken off like a rocket, and the world has paid attention. There are small and willing delivery companies that specialize in working with entrepreneurs and small enterprises in countries all over the world. Finding who may give you the best service is easier than you might think.
Depending on the type of business you have and the products you sell, varying delivery companies can abide by your rules and or standards to meet international demand. Getting bulk deals with such businesses is the desired approach as one-off deliveries may be far more expensive.
If you signal to the local delivery company that you’re in it for the long haul, they will take you more seriously. You can do this search online, but it’s also helpful to go meet similar like-minded people at small business conferences.
Whatever kind of small home business you have, never let yourself believe you’re too small to compete with the big boys. Things are changing and the times when smaller businesses had limited options is all but fading away. Utilizing ecommerce solutions that create an interface for your online business. Allowing customers to not only understand your website with language translations but also to buy with currency conversions will dramatically improve your wider reach.
